Open Citizen Letter to the New Secretary of State

To the New Secretary of State, 

The United States, like any good doctor helps to lower the pain level of the patients. Same goes for any good government, US government must lower the pain level of the world if they can. You can use the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, protective statues and covenants to bolster the country’s pro human rights efforts. To you personally, I want you to be the best ever to serve in this capacity.

An overall policy could be to lead with a woman’s human right policy. If successful, in any way, that policy will advance all the other rights in some significant way.

       Stick to the no torture rule and avoid serious damage to the USA. When drone strikes are fired, be sure the numbers of innocents killed are recorded and made public.

       Get out of the civil war in Yemen. Feed Yemen rather than attack. Bring Iran back into the six-nation agreement to stop their nuclear capacity. Seek a cooling off period between the Sunni/Shite tensions through diplomacy.

Keep a sticky note on your computer to keep a list with the top ten nations with the highest number of political prisoners. Support and visit dissidents when you visit a nation as a matter of course especially in Russia.

In Asia, seek to protect the status quo of Taiwan and Hong Kong. Push China to ease the pressures on the Uighurs. The Rohingya of Myanmar should be given a real path to be able to return home from their exile next door.

Reinvest into the two-state solution for the Israeli and Palestinian conflict. Both nations need to be secure and safe.

Bring friendlier nations closer to the USA and find some new friends if you can to help as well. Use soft power when and where you can.

Set up a special desk in the Latin American division to help the indigenous peoples of all the Americas to receive better treatment from their governments.

Provide support in southern Africa to a viable economic region of agriculture, tourism and manufacturing.

Have a strong Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights; someone of stature and listened to her/him daily. Ask President Biden to print the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the American passport.

While I could go on, I just want to wish you luck with the new gig. Lowering the pain level of the world is worth thinking about. I hope these suggestions get you going in that direction.

 

Good luck and God bless.

Jack Healey

Human Rights Action Center

Yemen in 2020

Somehow Yemen has caught the imagination of the POTUS and Secy Pompeo. Or maybe, the Saudis are pressing a defeated POTUS for another favor. Since the Saudi 5 year campaign of bombing and  sending in young  mercenaries from Sudan have not done anything for a victory, Saudis need another  favor. The Saudis with help from USA air power and UAE money have created the largest and most dangerous famine in modern history. (WPost,page 23,11/22, Ryan and Hudson

The Houthis who have captured about two thirds of Yemen after their minority uprising against a very corrupt government. This is how the war started five years ago. And yes, there is support coming from Iran but it is not the size and magnitude that the Americans and Saudis allege.

This is a civil war. The USA does not belong in this war. It is time to reevaluate this waste of money for this war . The Saudis who turned their embassy in Istanbul into a butcher shop to kill Jamal Khashoggi which  alerted the world of their brutality and insane need  to kill a decent  and  hardworking journalist like Jamal. It is time to back away from this country of “Kings” and no Queens and reset the relationship. It is also time to stop the USA military role in this sad payoff for getting a good deal with Iran re nuclear power.

Some in Congress are attempting to raise the issue because Pompeo as Secy of State is hoping to declare the Houthis as a “terrorist” organization as one last favor to the Saudis before leaving office. The problem is that the Houthis control most of the land mass of Yemen. Thus, many types of aid and relief  will cease that are needed daily to stem off the famine that the 5 years war has brought will deepen. In other words, USA will further the famine and allow cholera to rage. Tens of thousands have died already. This attempt at declaring the Houthis as terrorists must be stopped.  Yes, must be stopped. If not stopped , then reversed  by the incoming government of Joe Biden. This war is the Saudis’ Vietnam. It is their sad, brutal business, not ours.

Please remember Yemen is the poorest nation in the MiddleEast. The Houthis are a minority faction of Yemen and are of the Shia faith. This is a civil war. Saudis got to leave as well as the UAE , USA and  Iran.

Most Americans do not even know we are in this war. It is time for USA to stop using our tax dollars to destroy a nation of sand and poverty.

Please write, call and bother your Senators and Representatives. Drop a line to the White House.

Police Helping Police

Many whites when asked about the killings of so many black men over the many years, they usual say something like  “yes there are a few bad apples. But the vast majority are good cops.” My question then is  if so,” why don’t they solve their serious problem of murderers in their midst?” Seems logical  and normal to me to solve one’s own problem.

Surely we all have seen enough of these killings with thanks to those who film them. If not filmed, the light of day may never have come up in the morning. Why is there not a record of these terrible decisions of execution registered so so all  know how many each year. It is simple data to be kept.

Furthermore, the iron fist of the police unions need to be restructured so that the police unions represent the police as well as the community. That iron fist must become a cloth  hand to help both cops and community because this issue of police killings has been going on for a very long time to the point that  black parents must warn their children re the police and their attitudes and wishes.

No one is trying to take away the need to serve and protect. Stopping police killings is a first big step to move our country forward. Asking the people with guns, namely the police, to control themselves seems to be a logical question for their community. It is their problem to solve. Better to come from the inside  than the outside maybe. If in fact this was to happen in a very real way, the country would be much better off and the black community would welcome any deserved ticket from a policeman. Thus, police  could become a keystone partner  to help in the battle for complete equality for all.